A lot has happened since this time last year: this time last year, my kitchen did not have a man in it ... now it does and changes are needed to include a masculine presence in the Home.
In January 2023 I remarried. In March we decided to become full-time RVr's: the house I shared with my 1st husband was put up for sale, and in April we added a cute, chubby blue-heeler puppy to our new life - 3 days before we were on the road to West Virginia to pick up the 5th Wheel RV that would become our New Home. Since then, we (and Bleu) have traveled nearly 2 dozen States.
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Lately we have been enjoyed a relaxing low-key month's stay on a friend's PNW property, before we pull stakes and head towards the warmth of Arizona's desert for the next 6 months :-)
During this down time, I have been designing, working up, & replacing the feminine leaning oven-handle-hanging kitchen towels I designed for my widowhood solo lobo life. Remarriage has created an opportunity for me to get back to designing and working up newer Home items with a masculine design that lend warmth and comfort to our living space.
My new husband likes to cook ... and I like what he serves me (I happily give him free reign to reign in the kitchen ;-)), so I am designing longer and wider kitchen towels that he will feel comfortable using; Holland is 6'4" tall - he has hands that are quite a bit bigger than mine: his hands need hand towels that "go the distance" and are "at the ready" (don't get damp so fast - & aren't tethered to the oven door handle) while he's preparing tasty delights.
Holland likes simplicity in his surroundings; he doesn't like to be surrounded by fussy feminine things ... on the other hand, he does like the homey, personalized items his wife (me ;-)) is adding here and there. In keeping with both our preferences, I designed and worked up this longer/wider simple chef's towel ... and he's okay with the colors, textures, shapes, and materials I've chosen. It brings a smile to his face when he knows I've done, or made, something just for him ;-)
This chef's towel has a decorative textured design (fitting for the region we will be inhabiting, shortly), but it also adds a bit of color and personalized warmth to our muted bamboo wood & white Farmhouse Style kitchen.
I hope you will enjoy this new design, too :-)
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MOD DIAGONALTWEED/PALM STITCH CHEF'S TOWEL SET
Materials:
Cotton yarn in Beige (CC) & Green (MC); 1 skein of each
# 10-1/2 knitting needles
Scissors
Tapestry Needle
Terms used:
st. st. stockinette stitch (1 K row = RS - 1 P row = WS)
Garter St. = Knit every row
RS = front facing side of work
WS = backside of work
k = knit
p = purl
cross 2 R = 
cross 2 L = 
psso = pass sl st over
CC = contrast color
MC = main color
EO = end off yarn
CO = cast on stitches
INC = Increase
DC = decrease
EA = each
With CC color, CO 72 sts, and work 6 hemline rows in Diagonal Tweed St. as follows:
With this pattern, you will continue to move 1 st further to the left every alternate row.
Row 1: Repeat following across row - *K 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk* k 2.
Row 2 & alternate rows: P.
Row 3: Repeat following across row - Wl.fwd, sl 1 purlwise, wl.bk, *k 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk*, k 1.
Row 5: Repeat following across row - Wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk, *k 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk*.
After row 6, EO the CC, and attach MC.
With MC, work 4 rows st. st.; then begin The Palms Pattern for 8 rows, as follows:
Rows 1 & 5: Repeat following across row - *K 2, cross 2 R, cross 2 L, k 8*.
Rows 2 & alternate rows: P.
Row 3: Repeat following across row - *K 1, cross 2 R, k 2, cross 2 L, k 7*.
Row 7: Repeat following across row - *K 3, sl 1, k 1, psso and k it, k 9*.
Row 8: INC 1 st through the WS purl st at the tip of every palm tree to bring st count back to 72 sts on needle (to place INC st correctly, you may have to visually fold work back to view RS as you work along row).
After row 8 of The Palms Pattern, work straight st. st. for a total of 81 rows (count includes hemline rows). EO MC, and attach CC.
With CC, work work 6 hemline rows in Diagonal Tweed St. as follows:
With this pattern, you will continue to move 1 st further to the left every alternate row.
Row 1: Repeat following across row - *K 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk* k 2.
Row 2 & alternate rows: P.
Row 3: Repeat following across row - Wl.fwd, sl 1 purlwise, wl.bk, *k 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk*, k 1.
Row 5: Repeat following across row - Wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk, *k 2, wl.fwd, sl 2 purlwise, wl.bk*.
After row 6, EO and weave in all loose ends.
MOD DISHRAG: Cast on 2 stitches.
Row 1: Knit 1-Inc 1 st in next st.
Row 2: Knit 1-Inc-knit across the row.
Row 3: Knit 2-Inc-knit across row.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2 until you have 50 stitches on the needle.
Row 5: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, knit to the end of the row. Repeat Row 5 until you have 3 stitches left on the needle; K 3 sts tog - EO off and weave in loose ends.
